Women's History Initiatives

Mapping Feminist Cambridge is a series of historic tours focused on the feminist movement in Cambridge from the 1970s to1990s. From the takeover of 888 Memorial Drive, to the formation of the first domestic violence shelter on the East Coast, to one of the earliest feminist bookstores, to the home of the earliest women's studies courses – Mapping Feminist Cambridge is a vibrant account of feminist organizing and politics. Each tour spans several organizations and provides context about the movement and its priorities including abortion access, racial equity, women in film and print, healing for survivors, lesbian and bisexual visibility, political collectives, and so much more.

• Inman Square Tour
• Central Square Tour *
• Harvard Square Tour
• Youth Guide

* 3-18-25. The Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women has released a new Mapping Feminist Cambridge story map focused on Central Square from 1970s-1990s. In this guide, we highlight feminist, socialist, and educational institutions that emerged and thrived in Central Square from the late 1960s through the 1990s and recognize the unique contributions they made to Cambridge feminist history.

 

History helps us to learn and understand who we are. Each time a girls opens a book, hears a story, or visits a museum with few to no recognizable faces or experiences, she is by definition taught that she is "less than". The dreams and aspirations of girls and young women are compromised when history does not tell the whole story.

The Cambridge Women’s Heritage Project was established in 1996 to recognize and celebrate the historical contributions of Cambridge women and currently boasts more than 400 women and women’s organizations in its database. This phenomenal database captures the lives of well-known and not-so-well-known women who have made significant, lasting contributions to the city in the past and present. The site is dedicated to Cambridge women and women’s organizations, which are organized alphabetically as well as by topic (i.e., by a woman’s occupation or area of interest). Designed to be a work in progress and always seeking to add to its database, the Project encourages nominations.

Download a Nomination Form

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A collaboration of the Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women, Cambridge Historical Commission, Cambridge Arts Council, and the Cambridge Public Library, Filament/Firmament is a living memorial that honors the contributions of women to the life of the City of Cambridge.

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